Immortal Road.

"This fellow traveler looks unfamiliar. Are you from out of town?"

The herbal medicine shop has a small storefront but a large interior space. Rows of shelves are filled with various medicinal herbs, and the outer layer is covered with a star-like aura, providing full-time protection.

However, Lin Shan took a quick look and lost interest; they were all ordinary goods, not up to his level.

The shopkeeper's scrutinizing gaze made him even more uncomfortable. He immediately asked if he was from out of town. Did they expect him to adjust the price based on the dish?
"I want to see seventh-tier star medicine."

"This way, please."

Arriving at the small room at the back of the hall, one finds red, blue, and green star stones inlaid and shimmering, reflecting the hundreds of star medicines on a display stand.

Because of the Star Barrier, Lin Shan couldn't touch them, so he couldn't identify them either. He could only let the other party introduce them to him one by one.

After looking around, the materials for the Starry Sky Pill were complete, and the main ingredient, Rao Xingzhi, was even cheaper here. Ten of them could be bought for one seventh-grade spirit stone or a seventh-grade star stone.

He immediately made a large purchase to refine more Star Pills. These pills, being disposable items, proved very effective in actual combat and were perfect for surprise attacks before the opponent knew them.

After making the purchase, I inquired about the whereabouts of Xingfengpu and received a reply from the shop owner.

Star Wind Cattail is an officially controlled medicinal material, which has long been monopolized by the Star Court and its subordinate departments, as well as various local star palaces. It is impossible to buy it on the ordinary market.

This also reveals that he comes from the celestial realm, a fact known to all locals.

Lin Shan simply stopped pretending and asked directly how to obtain it.

“Difficult! This item is one of the eighty-three main ingredients for Star Pills that can enhance cultivation, and it is even in short supply. Taking Beishi Star as an example, every time I go to purchase goods, if this item appears, it will be immediately taken away by the Beishi Star Palace and handed over to the Star Palace’s personal alchemist to refine pills.”

Most of the cultivators here are star cultivators, so from a certain perspective, the demand here is far greater than in the Immortal Realm.

Lin Shan wants to refine the Zheli Pill to improve his cultivation, but that won't be easy. He can't even buy it from a herbal medicine shop, let alone obtain it!
Seeing his worried expression, the shopkeeper couldn't help but ask him something.

"Could it be that you are an alchemist?"

Lin Shan readily admitted it, but now he had no place to use his talents, and could only stare blankly despite his abilities.

The other person did offer him a suggestion, pointing to the top of their head.

"If you really have the ability, you can try applying for a position at the Star Palace. If you succeed, the problem of medicinal herbs will be solved, right?"

"good idea!"

Lin Shan's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly asked him what the procedure was.

The shopkeeper, seeing his youthful innocence, wanted to sell him something, regardless of whether he would actually use it in the future.

"Go out and turn right. After walking two streets, you will see a Star Palace. That is the Star Palace's government office in the Immortal City. There are Star Officials stationed there, and various recruitment notices are posted. Just tell them that you want to apply for the position of Palace Alchemist."

Lin Shan stood up to thank him, then immediately went out and turned right.

This starry world doesn't seem very prosperous. Compared to the Immortal Realm, it's somewhat underdeveloped. The buildings on both sides of the street are far less imposing than those in Yunzhou Immortal City, and the cultivation levels of passersby are generally low.

As a prosperous area on the main star of Beishi Star, it is generally similar to Yunbian City in the South China Sea of ​​Yunfeng Immortal Realm.

The only difference is that the majority of people here are star cultivators, and because they stand on stars, the ratio of immortals to mortals is quite high.

Basically, one out of every five hundred people will develop a Star Spirit Root.

There is not much difference between star spirit roots and spirit roots. They also have the five elements and various attributes. However, the star cultivation system has a strong inclusiveness. Star power can integrate everything.

According to our research, the population of Beishi Star alone is 400 million, the vast majority of whom are mortals scattered across the vast starry land. All the cultivators gathered together in the Immortal City number in the hundreds of thousands!

If we also consider the other auxiliary stars under his rule, the Northern Star Lord commands millions of immortals, making him a powerful figure in his own right.

Following the shopkeeper's directions, Lin Shan walked through two long streets and found the Immortal City Star Palace. This place was merely a government office for handling daily disputes; the real internal affairs cabinet and decision-making were made in the heavens, in the high-hanging star palace.

There are no barriers to entry to the Earth Star Palace; you can enter simply by registering.

As soon as he entered, he saw two parties arguing fiercely in the courtroom. An official wearing an official hat was mediating between them on the platform. There was a group of yamen runners around, but they all stood there listlessly, leaning on their sticks and staring blankly in the courtroom.

There were quite a few onlookers nearby, just watching for fun.

There were some old recruitment notices on the wall behind me, but they looked like they were covered with layers of paper, so I didn't know if they were still valid.

There was a passageway sign nearby, and a clerk asked him what he had come for.

Lin Shan said he wanted to apply for a job at the Star Palace to refine elixirs.

"Well, it seems a group of alchemists from the Star Palace have left recently. You should go to the back room first and wait. The master will come to find you after he finishes his official duties."

He went to the back room as instructed and found that there were already more than a dozen people waiting there!

Moreover, half of them came with me from the Cloud Wind Immortal Realm on the Treasure Ship!

"This is what you are."

"Fellow Daoist Xiong Shan, you've come too?"

Haosheng Sanren and Xiongpi Jushi were very surprised. Seeing the joy on his face, they quickly pulled him to a seat to wait.

After getting to know them, I learned that they were newcomers and had nowhere to go, so they came to the Star Palace to see if they could find a way to make a living.

After all, he was considered an elite in the immortal realm, and he wouldn't do too badly anywhere. He was very confident in himself.

One is an unparalleled master of weapon crafting, and the other is an unparalleled master of beast taming; they are truly exceptional talents.

"Fellow Daoist Xiong Shan is an unparalleled master of appraisal. Could it be that you've come here to apply for the Star Palace Appraiser position?"

Lin Shan quickly waved his hand, indicating that he wanted to try the position of court alchemist.

It's mainly for resources; otherwise, where can't appraisers work?

Fortunately, Xing Shuzi, the genuine supreme alchemy master, ran away. Otherwise, if he had stayed behind to compete with me, I might not have been able to beat him.

When the topic of Beijing Normal University's recent situation came up, the two people on the other end had clearly inquired about it.

"The new Northern Star Lord bought his way into office, which reportedly caused dissatisfaction among a large number of veteran officials. What's even more disheartening is that he immediately increased taxes, embarked on a massive construction project to expand the palace, and recruited beauties from all over the country to enter the palace, indulging in a life of luxury and debauchery. Most importantly, he drastically reduced salaries and benefits, leading to a mass resignation of many officials."

Yo ~
Lin Shan's eyes widened. Being a star lord is so enjoyable, isn't this like becoming King Zhou?
"so?"

"So our opportunity has arrived!"

The two men were talking animatedly, brimming with confidence. "Without our predecessors making room, how could we have gotten our spots?"

That makes sense, Lin Shan nodded in agreement, but immediately asked a question out of confusion.

"Does the Star Lord think he can do whatever he wants just because he's taken office? If I remember correctly, Beishi Star is one of the 108,000 main stars in the Star Court, under the jurisdiction of the Xuanwu Star Domain. How can we allow him to run rampant?"

A monk nearby explained to him:
"Rushing around is definitely not an option. For example, there should be a normal administrative team, governance of the territory to ensure the well-being of mortals, maintenance of the normal operation of the star system, timely payment of taxes to the Star Court, and obedience to central control, etc."

"But within the framework of the system, maintaining a high degree of autonomy, finding some enjoyment for oneself, using public office for private gain, appropriately accumulating wealth, and giving back to oneself are all unwritten rules. Otherwise, why would people spend a lot of money to buy an official position?"

"Yes, corruption in Xingting isn't limited to local areas; bribery is rampant even in the central government. As long as you don't cause public outrage, you can do whatever you want, and who can stop you?"

“Every time a new official takes office, he makes a big splash. Those old ministers who can’t withstand the heat will leave on their own. Only by replacing them with new ministers can we cultivate our confidants. The favor of being recognized and recognized creates ministers who follow the emperor. This has been the case in previous years.”

Lin Shan roughly understood: it wasn't that there were no restrictions, but rather that the overall direction wouldn't be disrupted, and the higher-ups wouldn't care what they did behind the scenes.

From this perspective, he still wields considerable power.

However, while the internal problems are manageable, the external security issues, such as the actions of bandits like the Three Wolves of the Northern Normal School who roam around the area, extorting tolls from travelers on trade routes, seriously affect the safety of the surrounding area and hinder trade. I'm afraid this won't be so easily overlooked.
"Indeed, with the new Star Lord taking office, the tribulation cultivators from beyond the pass have entered in droves, causing far more impact than this. It is said that people on nearby stars are in a state of panic, and many dare not venture into the starry sky. The main star is almost cut off from communication with the auxiliary stars. If this matter is not dealt with soon, the higher-ups will soon hold us accountable."

Everyone felt this deeply.

It turns out that it wasn't because the caravan was a big target that it attracted the attention of the robbery gang, and that the individuals were also in great danger, because the space pirates traveling between the two worlds were not limited to the Three Wolves of the Northern School, but also included many other ruthless characters.

These people have informants on every star, and they'll follow the scent of any lone, easy prey they find.

The entire Beishi Star and its eight subordinate auxiliary stars are now in complete chaos, a veritable mess, which has attracted the attention of many parties.

But none of this concerns them; they're just here to work.

After waiting for about an hour, the star official outside finally finished his case and came in carrying his official hat.

"I am the Prefect of the Northern Army. I apologize for keeping you all waiting. I am simply too busy with affairs in the Immortal City to attend to them. Please forgive me."

Everyone quickly stood up and said they dared not.

"There are indeed many vacancies in the Star Palace, but there are conditions for hiring. Please introduce yourselves and bring any tokens or proof you have. I will assess the situation and then decide which people to select."

This prefect seemed to wield considerable power, possessing the ability to conduct preliminary screenings. Upon hearing this, everyone dared not slack off and obediently stepped forward to negotiate.

These people are indeed highly skilled; most of them are elites from the Cloud Wind Immortal Realm, each with professional titles, making them easy to gain favor.

Even the Prefect of the Northern Normal University couldn't help but nod in approval. The people who came this time were of very high quality. It seemed that they had come for the change of the Star Lord and might become the favorites of the palace in the future.

When it was Lin Shan's turn, he took out his seventh-grade supreme appraisal master title issued by the Tianjian Division in the Yunfeng Immortal Realm, as well as his sixth-grade alchemy master title certified by the Dan Pavilion. The prefect sighed that he was a promising young man!

After a simple screening, three mediocre people were eliminated, and the rest were kept.

"Alright, everyone, please follow me to the Star Palace. Lord Beishi Star Lord is currently in the palace. Whether or not a personnel appointment can be approved depends on his final interview."

The prefect was efficient in both speech and action, and he led the group directly into the sky, arriving at the Beishi Star Palace, which was high above the stars!

This star palace is located on a star ring and looks very grand. Layers of grand halls are stacked together to form a palace complex. It has squares, gardens, lakes, forests and pastures. It can be called a mobile fairy city!
We landed outside the palace gate, where guards stood watch on the wall.

"Commander Wu is here. I have brought everyone with me. May I enter the palace?"

The Prefect of the Northern Military Prefecture asked someone to announce his arrival. A short while later, a general appeared on the palace wall, peered down, and said, "Please wait a moment."

He then opened the palace gates, personally inspected the area, and only then activated the grand formation to let them in.

The prefect led the way and explained things as he went.

This star palace is heavily guarded, with not only the star lord's palace guards, but also countless large formations and star puppets protecting it.

The outer layer is clearly a celestial array, which is said to be so strong that even immortals would not be able to break through it in a short time. Therefore, those space pirates have no chance of breaking in. It can be said to be as solid as a rock!

Along the way, you can see many palace maids carrying lanterns walking around. They are all fair-skinned, beautiful, and have excellent figures. They are all young girls in their prime, and their cultivation is not bad either.

Passing through forests, you can see herds of horses galloping wildly in the river, and herds of cattle and sheep running around the mountains.

Then, we arrived at the clear blue lake, where egrets, black-necked cranes, and red-billed gulls soared and glided, skimming low to catch fish.

There are even fields of flowers, making for a stunning landscape.
Even the royal gardens pale in comparison!
Lin Shan and the others followed them to the very center of the Star Palace, where there was a large palace. Before they had even climbed the steps and reached the white jade railing, they could hear incessant cursing coming from inside.

"Useless, a bunch of useless trash!"

"Yibaolou is an important business partner left by the previous Star Lord, connecting the Immortal Realm Cloud Wind Immortal Domain and the Starry Sky North Star. It can bring massive profits every sixty years. How could it be so wantonly extorted by the Three Wolves of North Star? What are you patrol soldiers doing!"

“If the other party hadn’t complained to me, you would probably still be in the dark.”

"I'm warning you again, don't think you can fool your superiors and subordinates just because I'm new here and don't know anything! If this happens again, you're all fired!"

A group of soldiers crawled out of the hall in a panic, not daring to utter a word, and hurriedly left the Star Palace.

The prefect told them to wait outside the hall and went in first.

"Reporting to the Star Lord, these are the talented individuals from the main star who have come to apply. I have already conducted a preliminary verification and they all have the necessary qualifications."

"Qualifications alone are not enough; I need to personally assess them!"

A deep, authoritative young voice came from inside, carrying a penetrating power unique to those in positions of authority.

"Let them in!"

"Please come in, everyone. Lord Xingjun will be interviewing you personally."

Then everyone entered the hall.

Upon entering, the empty hall was resplendent with gold and jade, with various star patterns carved all over the pillars and floors. On both sides were guards with swords, and on the platform stood tall and mighty generals.

On the Star Lord's precious bed, a wealthy young man lay sprawled, his head resting on a beautiful woman's lap, as she fed him grapes one by one.

Behind him, two maids held taller fans, standing motionless like statues.

"You are all talented individuals who have come to apply for this position."

The boy lay on the bed and started talking to himself.

"Let me make this clear from the start: those with genuine talent will be given important positions, but those who try to deceive and cheat their way through will face imprisonment once discovered!" (End of Chapter)